


We Should Let It Grow

by sonus



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, M/M, bg renmin, farmer au, lots of watermelons, side markhyuck, there is a watermelon competition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21705316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonus/pseuds/sonus
Summary: It's the time of the Grand Big Competition in this small town in the middle of nowhere. A week of festive activities an tourists and so many headaches.Jeno is fighting for his dreams, Yangyang is fighting for... Well, Jeno doesn't know, they aren't exactly friends.But since they are competing against each other they are now enemies. (Jeno might not be a specialist but he is pretty sure they are doing the whole 'we hate each other' thing wrong. Last time he checked this wasn't how it worked.)
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Liu Yang Yang
Comments: 13
Kudos: 70
Collections: ’00 FIC FEST: ROUND ONE





	We Should Let It Grow

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!! another fic fest down and i kind of wanna cry hehe when i say that this was the hardest battle with a fest entry i had yet i mean it. was it worth it? we will see
> 
> First of all I really wanna thank admin tea for organizing this fest and putting so much work into it!! thanks to you there are SO many new 00 line fics being posted now and wow your impact!
> 
> I would like to also thank my biggest supporters (who cant be named for obvious reasons) but you guys know who u are<33 (special thanks to someone who was there with me from the start and helped me brainstorm...realistic watermelon growing and slow grow will forever be remembered. And as u can see the title is a reference to that hehe)
> 
> Also i feel like i did it unintentionally but the atmosphere i aimed at was lowkey inspirated by one of fav movies of my childhood, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Its amazing and i love it. Way better than this fic lol
> 
> also a quick sorry to the prompter of #00188 because i guess this is not what u had in mind but WELL
> 
> and lastly, to all the people who just clicked cos they wanted the Rare Pair Bread, enjoy~

The small town in which Jeno lives is boring to the core. It's almost all plant fields and small houses with a few shops between them.

There is one school to which every kid in the village goes so that Jeno knows literally every single person there. He is friends with most of them too, especially from his year.

Most is a good word because there are some people even the always so nice Jeno haven’t managed to befriend.

"Oh my god I can't believe Yangyang is competing in the watermelon category," Jeno groans as he reads through the list of competitors in this years edition of 'The World of Vegetables and Fruits' or as everyone there calls it, 'Grow Yourself a Pain in The Ass'. Or maybe that's just Jeno and his friends.

It's the only attraction in their town. A week full of festivities finished by the results of the completion.

The rules are simple: grow the biggest vegetable or fruit and you win eternal glory and some money.

"Is he now?" Donghyuck asks and leans over Jeno's shoulder to see for himself. "Weren't his parents specializing in carrots?" he asks and furrows his brows.

Jeno sighs and points his finger at Donghyuck's name under the carrot category.  
"He isn't trying it since you decided to join."

Donghyuck's brows furrow even more as he looks at his own name on the piece of paper.  
"What do _I_ have to do with it?" he asks and sits next to Jeno.

"Isn't Mark judging this year?" Jeno asks instead of answering.

Mark is one of their best friends. His parents are the organizers of the competition and Mark always helps them somehow. Be it guarding the festive activities or, like this year, being the judge.

That alone, of course, doesn't make any difference but there is one more information that the whole village apart from Donghyuck poses.

Mark has a crush on Donghyuck. Or maybe it's something more at this point, who knows.  
Whichever it is, signing into the same category that Donghyuck, is in itself a suicide.

There are of course some people there but they all signed in before Jeno's best friend. Not a single new name since Donghyuck decided he would compete too.

"I think so? But what difference does that make? It's not like Mark would sabotage the whole thing just for _me_ to win," he says and turns his attention to the list of the contestants again.

“You’re so dense,” Jeno says resigned. He doesn’t expect Donghyuck to get it because, well, it’s been _years_ of pinning already and nothing came out of it.

He is happy that his best friend decided to help him with this. Because for Jeno this isn’t about having the best watermelon he can produce so that the tourist would visit his parent’s shop or anything. Of course, he loves farming and everything that comes with it but this isn’t about it at all.

There is the thing: Jeno's parents are farmers and so by the default, he is too. He loves working on the plants, he really does, he knows that's what he wants to do in the future too.

But there is also another dream of his that can't be so easily fulfilled.  
Since the early days of middle school Jeno, Donghyuck and Jaemin have been sneaking out of their houses to practice dancing together.

And for the most part, it’s enough for Jeno. He loves spending time with his friends and he loves dancing too, it makes him happy no matter what his parents think about it.

But not so long ago there was a dance competition announced in Seoul and both Donghyuck and Jaemin really want to go. Seeing the big smiles on their faces when they talk about it makes Jeno even more determined to make his plan work.

The plan is simple enough. It involves Jeno winning the competition of watermelons which would hopefully cover the cost of going to Seoul.

But this is theory and how the reality goes is much more complicated.

It’s not that Jeno doesn’t think he can do it because, even Yangyang of all people is taking part in it too, he is pretty confident he can win.

But confidence is not all so he is more than glad when Donghyuck proposes his help in the form of the younger competing too, chances of winning are better with his best friend and he would rather not do it alone anyway.

And if they both won maybe, just maybe, they would be able to tour Seoul while they are there.

So Jeno swears to be a better person if he wins this competition and crosses his fingers as he goes over to check on the watermelons that he has planted quite some time ago.

“Fighting,” he whispers to the plants.

Obviously, no one answers him and he is left alone in the dark night.

🌱🌱🌱

“I cannot believe all it took for you to finally compete was this,” Renjun says loudly as Jeno finally gets to work for the day. He looks over his plants and frowns a little at some of their leaves. He can always consult his parents if anything starts going south. "I'm sure your parents are thrilled and probably think you are ready to fully commit yourself to the watermelon life.”

Jeno _looks_ at his friend. He loves Renjun, he really does, but the older doesn’t really know what he is talking about. Among all his friends Renjun is the only one whose parents aren’t farmers. The Huangs own a local flower shop and so more than with fruits and vegetables, Renjun is familiar with flowers.

“That’s not how it works,” he says resigned and looks over at his plants. “It’s not that I don’t like doing this…” he trails off, unsure what words to use.

“...You just have other things you want to do too, I get it,” Renjun smiles at him and it’s soft this time. “We are all in the same boat here.”

Jeno guesses they really are.

“...Anyway,” Renjun breaks the silence again and the strange atmosphere from just a moment ago suddenly disappears. “I _barely_ convinced Jaemin not to join the carrot category. He wanted to do it so bad I’m still scared he will just wake up one night and go sign in anyway.”

Jeno looks away from the watermelon he was tending to. What’s with all of his friends suddenly joining the big and borning competition they always made fun of.

“He wanted to join _what_ now?” he asks, still in disbelief.

Renjun rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I know right. I was about to break up with him. I can’t believe he wanted to join a category he won’t be able to win anyway. We all know Donghyuck is going to win," Jeno can’t argue with that one. Their friend is the only one who doesn’t see the obvious. “Mark’s love will make the carrots grow or some other bullshit.”

At that Jeno bursts into laughter. Renjun joins him too and over the course of a few hours, Jeno finds himself lost in the familiar warmth of just talking with his friend, the watermelons long forgotten.

Outside, the rain starts. It’s a stormy summer after all.

🌱🌱🌱

Taking care of plants isn’t easy. They require a lot of time and someone who knows what they are doing. It’s not for everybody, not straight off the bat at least.

Jeno knows it all to well, being raised in a family of farmers and dealing with plants from a very young age. In fact, he can’t even recall the time before he knew how to take care of them. It’s so deeply engraved within him.

And it’s not like he minds, he loves it. There’s something captivating about them slowly blooming under your delicate care.

That said, Jeno loves plants. He loves taking care of them when his parents ask for it.

But there’s something different about this because for the first time he isn't doing it for his family, just for himself. He has been taking care of this little farm of watermelons all by himself.

Jeno knows how to do it, he is even good at it. But it is more stressful than before. Because what if something goes horribly wrong? If he doesn't win he will have to say goodbye to his dreams.

Taking care of those slowly growing watermelons is not fun, it's tiring and stressful and since he had officially signed into the competition he feels it weight down on his arms each time he goes to check on his plants.

It's suddenly all too real and Donghyuck's confident pats on the back and reassuring words aren't nearly enough to get rid of that sinking feeling in his chest.

So to help him feel better and maybe get some of that miraculous treatment for the plants that Donghyuck has told him about a few days ago, Jeno decides to go shopping.

He visits a few of his favorite stores and buys some candy for his sleepover with Donghyuck he promised the younger after the whole contest finishes. It's a good idea to buy stuff for it before he completely forgets, before he gets sucked into the final preparations.

He also looks around one of the few clothing shops they have in town to see if they have anything that would catch his eye. Working in the fields and now also spending his free time with watermelons means that most of his things are marked with dirt that doesn’t want to come off during washing.

Jeno looks through the piles of clothes and chats with a few of his neighbors but in the end, he leaves the shop empty-handed.

Which leads him to his final destination.

The shop with fertilizers and all of the other stuff anyone would ever need to take care of their plants. There’s everything from soil to shovels and as Jeno passes by he smiles because he sees a familiar mop of dark hair that can only belong to Doyoung. They nod at each other and the older smiles brightly.

Jeno is happy and content here amongst people he knows and equipment he is familiar with.

That is until he rounds a corner and catches a sign of someone he would rather not see.

What is Yangyang even doing here?

 _No_ , Jeno shakes his head with a sigh. That’s a bad question. Obviously, he is going to shop here a lot too, that’s normal especially since the grand finale of the competition is just around the corner.

A better one would be _Why on earth is he here at the same time as me_?

Jeno doesn’t have a good answer to that.

He backs away as quietly as he can from the aisle that the younger is still preoccupied at, and turns in the direction he was originally planning to go anyway.

Jeno needs a special fertilizer that he has heard about from Donghyuck. Usually, he wouldn’t consider using it with watermelons but the longer he thinks about it the more sense it makes.

He runs his gaze over the name tags in the aisle the product should be in. There are a lot of different colored boxes, each of them screaming ‘BUY ME’ aggressively at him with their bright colors and exclamation marks.

Jeno has seen so many advertisements for all of them he could probably recite each product’s catch phase if he tried hard enough.

Which isn’t good and probably explains why he wasn’t the smartest cookie in school. Because his head was already packed with all of those cursed and awful lines he most likely will never forget.

And amongst all of this colorful mess is the box he has been looking for.

Jeno frowns as he leans down to pick it up because somehow it’s the last one at the store. Since when are they that popular?

Jeno would say he doesn’t know the answer but as he sees a familiar figure come out of the neighboring aisle and his body stiffens automatically, he thinks he gets it.

Yangyang has the decency to look surprised too and he stops for a split second before coming up close to where the older is standing.

“Truly,” Yangyang says and looks at the box in Jeno’s hands. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Jeno scans the other’s casual pose and wonders _how on earth_ is he that calm about this. And, most importantly, what was he doing in this section on the shop?

Yangyang’s gaze is glued to the box in Jeno’s hands.

“We are both participating in the competition,” Jeno points at the empty shelf from where he got his box. “I don’t think your ‘fancy seeing you here’ is appropriate. Also,” Jeno throws a look at the cashier. “I don’t think you will find what you are looking for here. I took the last box.”

“Oh?” Yangyang raises one eyebrow, his gaze still on the box. “You sure you don’t wanna give it to me?”

Jeno gasps at the younger. The _audacity_.

“What the fuck,” he mumbles and Yangyang laughs. Before Jeno really registers what’s happening the younger’s hands are near his face as he leans in and tries to grab the box.

Jeno dodges and smacks Yangyang’s arm with this cursed box. Why the fuck was he fighting over a box of fertilizer with his old schoolmate in the middle of a shop? Jeno wants to laugh or cry or maybe both.

Somehow even being smacked with the damn thing doesn’t stop Yangyang from trying again and this time Jeno doesn’t take any chances and simply slips away from the younger.

He aims for the counter, no longer carrying how he looks running through the market with a laughing Yangyang right behind him.

This will probably be the perfect blackmail material for Donghyuck for years.

Jeno doesn’t miss the way Doyoung stares at him in mild surprise and he tries to smile at the older.

It’s a tiring run but in the end, Jeno manages to buy what he came for and Yangyang just stands next to him while he does so without interrupting.

The younger smirks at him as if he didn’t just lose that box he so desperately tried to steal.

Jeno rolls his eyes and walks out of the shop.  
  
🌱🌱🌱

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” is the first thing that Donghyuck says after he basically breaks into Jeno’s house one day.

Well, technically he doesn’t because he has keys and Jeno would have let him in anyway if the younger just asked, but still, his best friend’s presence is unexpected.

In fact, Jeno feels a pang in his heart when he remembers that he already has plans for that day.

“It has barely been a week Hyuck,” he points out but he knows his argument is weak because—

“That’s the longest we haven’t seen each other since my family’s trip to Seoul,” Donghyuck says with raised eyebrows, unimpressed. “And that was five years ago.”

Jeno doesn’t know if he should laugh or cry. Oh, how he really wishes he could just spend the whole day lazing around with Donghyuck.

“The way you remember when that was is a little worrying—” Jeno tries to take Donghyuck's attention off of the topic at hand but the younger sees right through him and rolls his eyes.

“You are so predictable Jeno,” he says with a laugh. “And besides, I know you knew that too.”

Donghyuck got him. And he knows it.

He smirks, happy about his victory.

“So since it’s been so long and you wouldn’t invite me, I invited myself,” he finished smoothly and Jeno wants to laugh at how easy and somehow logical it sounds when Donghyuck says it.

Jeno honestly can’t believe he is doing this. Doing that competition is one thing, but there’s something _wrong_ with turning down your friend’s request to spend some time together because you need to take care of your watermelon. Well, kind of, since today he was actually asked to help with the other plants by his parents.

It is just as stupid as it sounds and yet Jeno has no other choice but to tell Donghyuck they can’t hang out when the younger asks.

“Don’t worry about it Jeno I know you are busy,” Donghyuck shugs as if it is nothing. “With both the watermelons and Yangyang.”

Jeno frowns at his friend. It’s true that ever since he joined the competition he started meeting Yangyang everywhere.

Their encounter in the shop a few weeks ago was just the first of many. They meet everywhere, even in places that have nothing to do with watermelons. Jeno can’t help but wonder. Why now? He has barely seen the younger around town until this whole thing started. Now Yangyang is everywhere he goes.

“I don’t know what you are saying to say,” he mumbles but Donghyuck hears him and his expression changed slightly.

Looking at his best friend makes Jeno uneasy. He feels like he is missing out on something important.

“Nothing, nothing,” Donghyuck waves him off but Jeno isn’t fully convinced. He knows his best friend can be crazy at times but this is just suspicious. “You know he probably will be there too, right? Their fields are close to yours.”

Jeno pauses.

He hasn’t told Donghyuck he is going to his family fields that day. 

“How did you know I’m going there?” he asks and Donghyuck’s face falls a little. It’s fast and the younger brings back the usual smile swiftly but years of knowing him have taught Jeno how to read Donghyuck like an open book.

And he isn’t liking what he is seeing now.

“Why have my parents told you that?” he asks as he tries to wrap his head around what's going on.

And then, when Donghyuck smirks, it hits him.

“How do you know Yangyang will be there today too?” he asks cautiously. Was Donghyuck secretly best friends with Yangyang this whole time?

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?”

Jeno supposes he will never find out.

🌱🌱🌱

Jeno should have expected what happens next if he owned at least one brain cell but now that he looks back at it, he probably doesn’t.

Needless to say, for some reason, Jeno is surprised when he spots Yangyang in the fields that day. The younger isn’t exactly working, more like checking on everything and writing some things down in a notebook. How does Jeno even know that? No, he did not observe Yangyang instead of doing his own work.

Jeno sighs to himself and goes back to what he was doing before he got distracted by his biggest rival. He decides he will spend some extra time on his watermelons once he gets back home.

For now, he focuses on the task at hand. His parents have asked him to do their usual work for today because they had some business to attend to in Seoul.

Jeno has about five hours to spare before the last bus of the day comes by to pick up people who decided to work late and take them back home.

He spends most of that time working in silence, only humming to some songs from time to time. Sometimes when he is busy working on things he knows too well he does them mechanically and lets his mind wander off completely.

Today is one of those days and Jeno finds himself go over choreographies that him, Donghyuck and Jaemin had come up with for the dance competition.

His grip on the shovel he is carrying tightens and he can feel his hand shaking from both stress and exhaustion. He should have probably slept more than two hours.

Jeno sighs again. There’s not much he can do now. He needs to win the competition and he knows it. The watermelon he is growing better be enough to defend Yangyang.

And as hours pass Jeno slowly loses himself in his thoughts only more and more to the point that when he finally snaps out of it it’s because something cold falls on him.

Jeno lifts his head and freezes in horror as he watches, first single drops fall, and then the rain starts for good. The sky is dark and cloudy.

Jeno knows from his lessons in school that the dark ones on the horizon carry not only rain. A storm is about to start.

He should go home.

Jeno starts slowly picking up his stuff but his moves become more frantic as the seconds pass and the rain starts being more intense.

And as he runs to the bus stop he realizes something important.

The next bus will be there in three hours.

And he is alone.

Oh, how Jeno wishes the last statement was actually true.

As soon as the thought of being alone for all this time in the storm crosses his mind he spots a silhouette running to the bus stop too.

It’s hard to tell who it is at first because of both the heavy rain and the distance but the closer the said person gets the more Jeno wants to just run away.

Of course, it’s just his luck that the only other human being that didn’t realize the storm is coming and missed the bus is Yangyang.

At this point, it almost feels like the younger does this on purpose. Maybe Jeno is paranoid for thinking that Yangyang would follow him around, _he probably is_ , but as the younger’s silhouette gets closer he shivers.

“Is it you Jeno?” Yangyang’s voice is almost completely lost in the loud banging of the rain falling on the muddy ground. Jeno leans in a little and frowns.

“Yes it’s me!” he yells back and waves at the younger because even if it _is_ Yangyang of all people, Jeno would still rather sit with him than be left alone. Or maybe even die since he can spot lightning on the horizon and a minute later the ground trembles and his ears ring painfully.

Jeno would rather be anywhere else.

It takes another minute for Yangyang to finally arrive next to Jeno and they look at each other in silence.

The younger’s hair is wet, strands of hair dripping water everywhere but Jeno supposes it doesn’t make a difference. Yangyang reaches for it in an attempt to fix it so that he can at least see but the rain is so heavy that it takes only a few seconds for it to fall back into his eyes and so he just lets it be and sighs deeply.

“There’s nowhere to hide here,” Yangyang says resigned and Jeno looks around them in panic. They can’t stand for three hours straight and, if he has to be honest, he can feel his legs tremble under him already from all the work and the coldness of the rain soaking his clothes.

The only choice they really have are big rocks that separate the road from the fields. On a normal day, they are a nice place to sit, the view of the colorful fields breathtaking but now, in the rain, they look just sad.

“I need to sit down,” he chokes out and Yangyang turns his head to Jeno so fast that for a moment the older fears his neck might snap.

“Are you scared of the storm?” he asks and his voice is the softest Jeno has heard it yet. It makes him pause for a moment before shaking his head. There are so many sides of the other he doesn’t know since they were never friends.

"That's good because I wouldn't know how to calm you down," Yangyang lets out a sigh and Jeno laughs at that. He can feel the serenity in his words and he wonders if it's because they are suddenly stuck together for a long while or maybe Jeno is just reading too much into things.

Yangyang might be many things, chaotic and evil at times but as it turns out during those three hours they spend on that godforsaken rocks, he can also be nice.

He listens well when Jeno lets out some of his recent worries, nothing too deep so that the next day when he realizes that he have confided in the enemy he won't feel too bad.

They don't talk about the competition at all, not a single word about their watermelon's sizes or how everything is going. Jeno doesn't bring up his dancing either. But he feels like it's fair because Yangyang doesn't say a word about why he is participating in the competition all of a sudden too.

It slowly starts to get dark and with that, the rain slowly slows down and by the time it's completely dark it stops for good.

The rocks are still slippery under them and the air Jeno breathes out makes small clouds before his face.

It's hard to see Yangyang's features.

"What's with that weather?" the younger wonders and his tone sounds strained like he is trying hard not to show any emotions. "It's freezing."

Jeno closes his eyes and swallows hard. Until this moment he has been ignoring the feeling in the pit of his stomach but now that the younger has said it it's hard not to let a shiver run down his spine.

More than anything, Jeno is cold.

The weather is more like the one you would expect to see in autumn, with cold nights and so much rain.

"It's a bit abnormal," he agrees and looks at the dark and calm, for the time being, sky above them. It’s true that this isn’t typical summer weather. “It’s been really rainy this year.”

Yangyang humms in agreement and then something similar to worry appears on his face as he frowns.

“I wonder if it’s a bad omen,” he says and Jeno wants to answer him but the younger’s voice suddenly sounds so distanced he isn’t sure if it would be worth it.

So instead he looks at the night sky again, at the twinkling stars and wonder, just wonders if it truly means anything.

And if so, then what.

🌱🌱🌱

The preparations for the festival go mostly smoothly. Jeno takes care of his plants and watches them grow. Judging by their size he might have a chance to win if the luck is on his side. 

And it better be.

He meets with Yangyang a few times throughout that period but it’s never for longer than a few minutes. Now that they seem to be on better terms destiny seems to be too bored to make them bump into each other constantly.

Part of Jeno is glad. Part of Jeno is restless.

Storm clouds gather once again on the horizon but the rain never comes. It has been like that since the night in the fields.

And so, the preparations continue and soon enough Mark asks all of them to help with the final touch-ups which include decorating the space where the whole thing will take place.

“No idea why this year I’m not only judging but also responsible for decorations but hey! I’m absolutely—”

“Fully capable, yes we know Markie,” Donghyuck frowns at his best friend. Jeno can see the concern coloring his eyes as he observes the dark circles under the older’s eyes and how pale and just plain tired he looks. “I’m just a little bit worried, you know.”

“Nothing to be worried about Hyuckie,” Mark answers and despite the stress, he smiles warmly at the younger.

Jeno exchanges looks with Jaemin and Renjun. The oldest of the trio looks mildly disgusted. Jeno can’t blame him.

If the two of them don’t get together by the end of the summer Jeno is going to lock them up in a room until they figure it out. Which, judging by how long this has been going on, might lead to their deaths.

“What do you want us to do?” Renjun asks loudly which successfully stops the awkward flirting that was going on and Jaemin sends his boyfriend a smile. Donghyuck doesn’t seem half as happy.

“Ah yes!” Mark finally tears his eyes from Donghyuck and Renjun rolls his eyes. It seems like the oldest really is out of it, normally he has things under control even with Donghyuck around. “I need help moving the decorations around and also hanging them. I already asked some of the other contestants to help too so don’t worry, it won’t take all day.”

“Oh, the others are here too?” Donghyuck asks, suddenly interested in the conversation again. “Does this include Yangyang?”

Mark furrows his brows but doesn’t ask why Donghyuck is interested in Yangyang all of a sudden and just nods.

“He should be here, I talked with him about twenty minutes ago,” the oldest of the group looks around but the grounds on which the finale is supposed to take place are large and there is no one in their close vicinity, everyone probably already busy with their tasks.

“We should get going if we wanna finish this by sunset,” Renjun points out, his voice slightly colored by annoyance and Jaemin laughs at his boyfriend.

“I guess that would be nice,” Jeno agrees with the older, kind of desperate to stop Donghyuck from digging about Yangyang even though he has already kind of sorted things out with the younger. There is this strange smirk on his best friend’s face when he talks about the other as if he knows something that Jeno doesn’t and he isn’t happy about it.

“Okay then,” Mark points at a pile of boxes next to his car and then gestures to the main stage of the event. “The other’s already know how it should look like so just ask them once you get there, I need to go get something from my parents really quick.”

They all nod in unison and watch Mark walk over to his vehicle and drive off soon after. A cold blow of the wind makes Jeno shiver and he feels the need to move.

“Let’s get to work,” he says and doesn’t even look back to see if the others will follow him but soon enough there are footsteps behind him.

Some of the others pass by them, going back and forth between the stage and the box pile in silence. Jeno spots a few familiar faces and he waves at Dejun who sticks closely to Yukhei.

The pair waves back.

The whole thing goes smoothly and Jeno finds himself smiling more and more with each passing minute. Decorating is quite calming and he focuses on hanging the items in place most of the time.

The rest of his group works in silence too, except for occasional whispers between Renjun and Donghyuck who always stick close to each other, trying to decorate the place in two completely different styles. Jaemin laughs at their efforts from a safe distance and Jeno smiles at the pair.

But of course completing their task without any problems or scandals or drama for once is out of the question so while they are picking the boxes again, Mark sending them out for one of the last rounds because the sun is almost touching the horizon already and purple and pink clouds are making the sky photo-worthy, a familiar figure appears near them and Jeno freezes for a moment.

Jaemin notices it and he turns around to look at what caught Jeno’s attention and soon Renjun’s gaze follows too and the pair smirks in unison.

Jeno risks a quick glance at Donghyuck to check if the younger noticed what had distracted them all and he finds his best friend already staring at him.

"You made up with Yangyang?" Donghyuck asks, suddenly interested in Jeno again. The older rolls his eyes and bites back an 'go back to Mark' because he knows Donghyuck wouldn't stop whining if he said that.

"We were never fighting though?" he says and it is true. They might have not been friends but there was never an actual fight or anything like that. There's a small part of Jeno's brain that tells him that they haven't really talked it through during that storm. Sure they talked a lot, but it wasn't anything too personal. Jeno frowns.

"Should I remind you about the shop accident? Is it the right time? I feel like it is," and Donghyuck's smirk tells Jeno that the younger definitely knows that it's the perfect timing to piss him off.

"My God, you are more annoying than him sometimes Donghyuck," Renjun chimes in and Jaemin laughs at them from behind his boyfriend. "I wonder how did Jeno become friends with you instead of Yangyang."

Donghyuck frowns and sticks his tongue out at their friend.

"The same applies to you Injun," he says and smirks again when he sees that he had, in fact, struck a nerve. Renjun looks like the only thing that is preventing him from fighting are boxes full of decorations resting in his hands.

Donghyuck might be mad annoying and Renjun might have short temper sometimes but ultimately Mark's wrath is something none of them want to witness.

Donghyuck looks like he is thinking exactly the same thing and Jaemin laughs. The poor boy wasn't there the last time Mark got angry.

"Whatever," Renjun says finally and tilts his head in the direction of the path which leads to where Mark is supposed to be waiting for their group and Donghyuck nods lightly which means it's the end of their little argument if Jeno can even call what just happened that.

The two of them disappear and Jeno is left with Jaemin who laughs after the pair, who is now in a deep discussion.

"They are amazing," he says in a light tone. Well, that's one way to put it, Jeno supposes. He can't entirely disagree. Even in the competition. He has seen Donghyuck's carrots and they are truly something else. It's like the younger has magical hands or something, he knows no one will be able to accuse him of cheating even if they know how whipped Mark is for him.

"And you know, not entirely wrong. I know that you have never really been friends with Yangyang and I would say this is probably the strangest time to change that but I'm glad you are on speaking terms," Jeno wants to correct his best friend and say that he isn't friends with Yangyang and they are all overreacting just because he has spent a few hours alone with him. Unvolunerarly.

But no one seems to be interested in that part.

Yangyang and Jeno seem to be the hottest news in town and Jeno wonders just how bored everyone must be to make gossip like this circulate despite the finale of the competition being only a few days away.

' _The two rivals from high school are suddenly friends_?' sounds just too dramatic.

' _I heard they had spent a few hours alone in the dark_ ,' sounds suggestive and Jeno turns with a frown to look at the person who has said it when he first hears it.

' _I'm pretty sure they went on a secret date? Was it a date? That's what everyone is saying_ ,' is just plain _wrong_ and Jeno doesn't even have the energy to correct people.

He doesn't know what to think about the thing that almost every version of the rumor implies. The belief that he is dating Yangyang seems to be a running theme and he wonders if that's just because it makes the whole thing spicier or maybe there's something more to it.

Which is stupid because Jeno would know if there was something there, considering he is involved.

Jeno also wonders what Yangyang thinks about all of this. From the way, the younger casually walks past him and even waves with a small smile which lacks venom Jeno is almost ready to believe he hasn't heard the rumors yet.

But, of course, that's impossible so Jeno comes to the next most logical conclusion he can think of.

Yangyang simply doesn't care. Maybe it's even funny to him.

Talk to a person you almost never talked to before and that is now your rival and then try to steal their fertilizer in a shop? Checked, rumors about rivalry in place.

Spent a few hours alone in the dark with the same person? Checked, dating rumors in place.

It does sound awful now that Jeno _really_ thinks about it.

He groans and then sees Mark coming in his direction. That wakes him up completely and he straightens his back and finally picks up the pieces that his friend asked him to get a _while_ ago.

Jeno isn't even aware of a pair of curious eyes observing him from the sidelines. Yangyang smirks at Jeno's 'deep in thoughts' face. Mark's sudden appearance scares him off too and he slips out to go help Donghyuck and the others.

When Jeno turns to where the object of his headache have been sitting just a minute ago, the space is now empty. He doesn't spare it a second glance.

🌱🌱🌱

There are a lot of things Jeno plans on doing on the last day before the grand finale of the competition.

Mostly, he plans to be asleep for most of it.

The other half is probably gonna be just him and dancing since he hasn't trained in a while because of the whole thing.

Well, the keyword for all of this is 'probably' because none of it actually happens.

Of course, Jeno does sleep that night but not nearly as much as he would have liked. And he doesn't get any time to even stretch, nevermind dancing.

This is what really goes down:

As soon as Jeno is finished with his breakfast and he slides the plates into the sink while humming to the radio there is a loud bang on the door.

His first instinct is to frown because he is pretty sure he didn't invite anyone for a relax session, not his friends for sure. It wouldn't be relaxing with them here.

There's another bang and this time Jeno moves from his spot with a heavy sigh.

He is fully ready to open the door to a smiling Donghyuck or maybe even Renjun and he smiles despite himself because even if he wanted to spend this day alone he misses his friends and he would pick them over some lame relax anytime.

But the person waiting for him on the other side of his old wooden door isn't one his best friends. In fact, Jeno isn't even sure if he can call him a friend at all.

Yangyang is wearing a t-shirt that could rival the color of the sky any summer day except this one, and a smile. Jeno notices the dark clouds that have started to gather, teasing the possible rain.

"What are you doing here?" he asks and it's only when Yangyang raises an eyebrow that Jeno almost facepalms and steps to the side to let the other in. "Are you not gonna answer?"

Yangyang slips into the house and Jeno closes the door behind them.

"You know you missed the general rehearsal for how things gonna go tomorrow?" he teases and Jeno groans internally. He can't recall anyone telling him about it.

"What rehearsal?" he asks but he knows there is probably no point. "Why would we even need one."

"God knows," Yangyang shrugs as he settles down into one of the chairs. "And it was probably Mark's idea but he didn't share the reasoning behind it."

"I didn't know we had to do anything today," he says and it sounds almosts defensive at this point. Jeno takes a deep breath. "Normally I don't miss meetings that I'm supposed to be at, you know."

Yangyang laughs at his serious expression and for a moment Jeno sees a little bit of Donghyuck in the younger and something hits him.

It might be Donghyuck. The one who somehow makes them meet all the time.

For all Jeno knows the two of them could be the bestest of friends. They fit together.

"Actually I'm pretty sure I heard Donghyuck tell you about it. And Mark probably did so you too, he looked stressed when he realized you were there."

Jeno feels a pang in his stomach and his hand twitches with the need to reach for his phone and just contact the older right away.

"How angry Mark is?" he asks and Yangyang makes eye contact with him.

"He isn't angry, just stressed. The rehearsal wasn't that important," for once the younger's voice is completely serious. "But you should probably let him know you are alive or something."

If Mark wasn't angry and certainly didn't send Yangyang to deliver his anger to Jeno, which made no sense but you never know, then what was the younger doing here.

"Then why did you come?" he asks and Yangyang averts his eyes and scratches at the back of his neck. Jeno would have thought he was nervous all of a sudden if not for a relaxed smile slowly creeping onto his lips.

"Wanted to make sure that you know where and when to turn up tomorrow," Yangyang says with a smirk and Jeno rolls his eyes. As if they both haven't watched the whole grand finale play out about a hundred times before. Jeno is convinced that he remembers it better than the multiplication table. "And that you weren't dead or anything. I want to win but only if it's fair."

Jeno raises an eyebrow.

"Is that why you tried to steal from me?" he asks and Yangyang looks at him with a judging look. Which isn't fair because it should be Jeno judging _him_.

"When will you let it go?" he asks, his voice close to being whiny.

"When Donghyuck does," Jeno answers and watches with satisfaction as Yangyang groans  
in pain.

"That's never going to happen."

"I know."

Yangyang sighs.

"Guess I'm stuck with it forever then," he says, voice resigned if you didn't pay enough attention, but Jeno can feel the hesitation behind it. It's almost like a question; like the younger is asking Jeno if that's fine, if he can talk about them like they aren't a thing just because of the competition.

It's like asking if there can be friends.

"I guess you are," Jeno says and there's a visible change in Yangyang.

There's a spark in the younger eyes and a smirk on his lips but this time, it's a soft one.

Jeno spends his last day before the competition with his biggest rival. He doesn't really mind.

🌱🌱🌱

Jeno doesn’t expect the day of the final competition to turn into his worst nightmare and yet somehow it does just that.

He wakes up fast and hard which is unusual enough for him. Jeno has a bad feeling about today.

He doesn’t believe in omens or anything like that but as he slowly makes his way thought an airy quiet house he gets shivers.

The weather outside is finally sunny and fresh after all those storms and winds that were constantly hitting the village over the last few weeks.

But there is something alarming about it and Jeno freezes when he realizes what it is. The world outside looks messy. Or maybe that isn’t the right word but Jeno’s brain goes into overdrive.

He doesn’t care about anything else anymore and with heart in his throat, he runs to the back door leading to his garden.

And as soon as he opens it his heart drops. Jeno’s grip on the door tightens and his knuckles turn white. It hurts but he can’t let go.

Because what he sees in the garden hurts even more.

There, where his watermelons are supposed to be, lays a tree. Its roots are sticking out of the grass. It truly is a scene from a horror movie with the trunk broken in half and small parts of it scattered over the entire garden.

But of course, the place it had to hit is exactly where Jeno’s watermelons were growing.

Jeno looks at the whole scene with eyes wide open and his hands tremble.

With no one around him but trees and that fresh air that comes only after a storm, Jeno lets all of it overwhelm him and he breaks down.

All he has worked on for the last few months is gone. His dreams are gone just like that.

🌱🌱🌱

Jeno isn’t even sure how long it has been, he doesn’t want to check his phone. There’s probably a spam from all of his friends waiting there but he doesn’t have the energy to deal with that yet.

He has moved from the garden back to his house where he settles down on the sofa and tries to stay calm. Tears are no longer there but Jeno still feels like he might break down at any time. And there’s also anger which tries to take control over him but he pushes it back.

Just as he is about to break down again there’s a knock on the front door and Jeno eyes it suspiciously. He isn’t expecting any guests obviously, seeing as he should currently be at the competition’s finale and part of him wonders if it’s Donghyuck who realized he wasn’t there yet.

He considers not answering it for a minute but the knocking gets more intense like that person _knows_ he is there and so after another loud bang he finally gets up with a ‘I’m coming!” directed at no one in particular.

Jeno’s bet is on Donghyuck but when he opens the door he is greeted with the last person he had expected to see. What is Yangyang doing here? Jeno doesn’t know.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, surprise clear in his tone. But there is no usual spite in it. Jeno guesses that maybe it was never really there, the reason why exactly he didn’t like Yangyang long forgotten if there even was one in the first place.

Still, it’s shocking that the younger boy would show up. Jeno is his rival after all.

“It was getting close to the watermelon section and you still weren’t there,” Yangyang gets out, still out of breath.

He looks like he has run the whole distance from Mark’s parent’s property where the whole end of the week activities take place.

Jeno knows, he just _knows_ it’s almost the time for their category and he stares at the other with wide eyes. He doesn’t get it.

“ _What are you doing here Yangyang_?” he repeats and feels the reality creep up on him again. The crushed watermelons in his garden. This was never supposed to happen. None of it was.

Yangyang must have sensed his anger and sadness by now because the younger’s expression changes to a worried one.

“I came to check up on you,” he says and now there is hesitation in his voice like he is doubting if it is even his place to worry.

Jeno feels the tears building up but he doesn’t give them a chance to spill. He has cried enough for today already.

“You shouldn’t have,” he says quietly and Yangyang moves a little bit closer. “I’m not going to the finale.”

There is no point in him being here. He knows he will have to tell his friends what happened soon but it can still wait. Jeno hasn’t messaged them yet because he wants the three of them to enjoy the festivities. He just knows that Donghyuck would drop everything to make sure Jeno is okay.

Carrots category is after watermelons and Jeno sighs heavily.

“Listen Jeno,” Yangyang points a finger at him. “You are coming back with me. I know you probably didn’t want me of all people to know your reasoning behind joining this whole shitfest but I do.”

Jeno feels his eyes opening wide as he stares at the younger, not sure what to say. It’s probably best to tell the truth.

“My watermelons are destroyed,” he lets out and Yangyang’s eyes flash with something that looks like hurt which makes little to no sense. They might be friends now but when it comes to the competition they are rivals. Or more like were since Jeno lost his chance at winning. “They got smashed by a fallen tree from tonight’s storm. I never thought they would be so intense but Yangyang, you can’t force me to go with you. There’s nothing left of them, not even the smaller ones.”

The younger takes a moment to run over what Jeno had just said in his head and when he does a smile slowly creeps onto his lips. This basically made him the winner and Jeno shouldn’t be surprised at his reaction but he feels his stomach sink.

And then Yangyang does something he would have never expected.

“Doesn’t matter Jeno. You _are_ coming back to the competition with me and we will run because our category is about to start.”

Jeno is about to protest but Yangyang grabs his wrist firmly and there is a part of him that doesn’t want to give up entirely just yet.

And so, Jeno lets himself be dragged. They cross his back garden where the fallen tree lays, the red of the watermelons splashed everywhere around it.

It looks like a crime scene and while Jeno’s gaze gravitates towards it, Yangyang doesn’t even spare it a second of his time.

There is something relaxing in the way Yangyang squeezes Jeno’s arm tightly and the older doesn’t feel trapped by it. It’s more reassuring than anything else.

Jeno tears his eyes away from the crashed watermelons as they reach the corner of his house.

He doesn’t look behind as they round it and start running to the festival site. There is no need.

🌱🌱🌱

Somehow, running like both of their lives depend on it works and Yangyang manages to pull Jeno backstage, where all the fruits and vegetables are stored, just before their category is announced.

There’s a lot of people there, some of the categories still waiting for the green light to go and most of them are just making sure their contestants are doing just okay. Jeno is glad because it means that even if Donghyuck sees him and frowns deeply when he notices Jeno isn’t carrying a watermelon, the younger doesn’t have enough time to make it to him before Yangyang catches Mark.

“Hyung!” the younger of the pair whispers furiously and even though a few heads turn in their direction people become disinterested pretty fast.

Mark stops in his tracks and frowns at them. His gaze seems almost angry and Jeno swallows hard.

“You guys,” he says and scrapes at the back of his neck. “Where have you been, it’s your time now.”

Yangyang and Jeno exchange glances.

“And why the hell, there’s only one watermelon which is currently unattended, not two?” Mark’s voice is tired as he points to the lonely fruit sitting in the middle of a gigantic table and for a second Jeno wonders how is it possible that no one has just simply made it disappear to ensure their victory.

The watermelon is big, maybe even bigger than Jeno’s and as he looks around he realizes pretty quickly that it’s indeed the winning one.

He doesn’t want to accuse anyone here of even thinking of cheating but it becomes pretty clear why the watermelon is still whole and untouched when Jeno’s gaze meets Donghyuck’s. The younger looks fierce like this next to his own carrot, his gaze sliding to the said watermelon every few seconds.

Jeno laughs.

“That’s not funny you know,” Mark says and Jeno immediately stops. The last thing he wants is to make his friend angry.

He should have come sooner even if without his own watermelon instead of making his friends worry.

“You are right hyung, I’m sorry,” Jeno says and looks at Yangyang. He guesses the best idea for him now is to go to the audience and watch the category play out from there. He is gonna cheer for Yangyang.

“All right, we don’t have time,” Mark gestures to the door that opens to the stage and Jeno can hear loud cheers coming from that direction. Regret fills him completely and he turns his eyes away. “Who’s watermelon is that? I need to announce the winners.”

Both Jeno and Yangyang open their mouths at the same time but for some reason, Jeno isn’t fast enough.

“Jeno’s,” Yangyang states calmly and Jeno can feel his eyes open wide in shock.

‘ _What is he saying_ ,’ he thinks as he tries to come up with a response. Nothing seems quite right at the moment.

He should tell Mark it’s not true and so he opens his mouth again but Yangyang throws him a look that shuts him up completely.

“Okay,” Mark says and turns to Jeno who is still shaken up. Yangyang shoves him lightly and it makes Jeno snap out of it a little. If Mark notices anything he doesn’t comment on it, probably too tired to bother trying to guess what’s up with them. “Yangyang are you coming on stage too?”

The younger gives them both a small smile before shaking his head.

“Nah, I’ll watch everything from the audience,” he says and Mark nods.

Jeno should reach out and stop him just like he has stopped Jeno from giving up on this, but it’s like Yangyang senses his intentions and the younger disappears before he can do anything.

Mark turns to him and tries to give him a smile but it looks more like a grimace than anything else.

“Go take your watermelon and meet me on the stage,” he says and then turns to the rest of the room. “Watermelon category!”

Jeno can feel Donghyuck’s gaze on his back as he goes over to the lonely fruit and picks it up. He wonders if his best friend already knows what kind of bullshit this is.

He probably does.

🌱🌱🌱

For something so 'grand' and 'great' the big finale is pretty boring.

Maybe the fact that Jeno has watched way too many of those in his short life is the one to blame for his boredom or maybe it really is boring. He feels bad for the tourists.

As soon as all of them step on the stage the audience starts clapping loudly. Jeno can spot Renjun and Jaemin standing hand in hand at the back of the chaos and then his eyes land on the person he has been unknowingly looking for.

Yangyang is relatively close to the stage and their eyes meet for a second before the younger gives Jeno an encouraging and bright smile.

Jeno smiles back.

"Next category!" Mark yells enthusiastically into the microphone and Jeno grimaces. The crowd cheers loudly. Those people don't see anything else besides a happy teenager handing out awards.

Jeno knows better. He can feel the stress and fatigue in his friend's voice and he almost cringes at how artificial it sounds. All of a sudden he gets why Donghyuck has been spending an awful lot of time at Mark's place instead of taking care of his carrots.

The younger has green fingers anyway and while it still requires effort from him to win, he can also afford to support his best friend in the meantime.

Jeno is thankful for that.

"Watermelons!" Mark continues and Jeno lets himself relax while his friend reads the list and the candidates come to the front one by one to weight and measure their fruits.

It's a long wait but when Mark finally reaches him and calls out for "Lee Jeno!" the boy in question stiffens.

Jeno feels strange as he forces his legs to move, Yangyang's watermelon in hands, and then lays the fruit where Mark points.

He wonders if anyone can feel his lies. To Jeno it looks pretty obvious, the ways his hands are shaking and even a worried look from Yangyang doesn't stop them. It feels like cheating and not cheating at the same time.

Jeno doesn't care about the title and neither does Yangyang but there is still something chilling about presenting that watermelon like it is his.

But despite his rapid heartbeat and the lies laid there for everyone to see everything continues as planned.

No one loses their smile as they measure his watermelon and then he gets back into the line, hands now empty.

Everything goes smoothly after this and when Mark announces the winner Jeno gives his friend a big smile.

“Congratulations Jeno,” he whispers as he passes by the younger, hurrying inside to get the next category to prepare.

Jeno isn’t sure how he feels about his victory. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth but as soon as he opens the door to the backstage he is pulled into a hug by Donghyuck and a minute later Renjun and Jaemin join them too.

It makes him forget about his worries for a moment and he feels a tug at his heart as Mark comes over and tells Donghyuck to go get ready too.

“You wanna miss Donghyuck’s turn?” Mark asks and Jeno frowns at how pale the older looks all of a sudden. He knows his friend is stressed and tired from leading the activities for the past few hours but there’s something else there. Like the way his hands tremble when he says Donghyuck’s name.

Jeno shakes his head.

“I’m gonna go watch from the audience,” he answers and practically runs to the door leading outside.

Where he is met with yet another surprise. Just outside the building, stands Yangyang. The younger is casually leaning against the wall but as soon as he sees Jeno he comes over.

“You won,” Yangyang smiles and it doesn’t look fake or anything. It seems like he really is happy and it confuses Jeno so much. “Congratulations.”

Jeno is so, so confused.

“Why did you do it?” he asks and he can tell he won’t get an answer by the way the younger shrugs. It frustrates him to no end but at the same time, he needs to hurry if he wants to watch Donghyuck’s category. “Whatever Yangyang, just know I _will_ get that information out of you.”

Yangyang laughs as if Jeno had just told a really good joke.

“Sure you will,” he says and Jeno scowls. “We should go if we wanna watch the carrots.”

Jeno looks at the younger for a sign of any other emotion than happiness but it’s not there. Maybe it really is easy just like this. Maybe it’s what friends do.

Jeno decides to ignore that part of his brain which tells him Donghyuck probably wouldn’t do that for him.

🌱🌱🌱

They don’t make it in time for the carrot category exactly.

Well, in a way it’s still the carrots because there is Donghyuck on stage with Mark next to him but that’s about it.

By the look of it, Jeno can already guess that his best friend did win, just as he predicted but there’s something off about the whole situation.

He can tell that the atmosphere on the stage is different and he feels Yangyang frown next to him.

“What’s with them?” the younger asks but Jeno doesn’t know how to answer. Donghyuck doesn’t look ecstatic about his victory but Jeno can see this bright spark in his eyes that cannot be masked by the serious expression.

And then out of nowhere the older of the pair grabs Donghyuck’s wrists and stops him from going backstage just yet.

“Hyuck,” Mark starts and Jeno can hear him only because he is close to the scene. Donghyuck narrows his eyes at his best friend. “Congratulations, I know you worked hard for it.”

The younger shrugs but Jeno knows Mark is right. Donghyuck did put so much work into it while also helping out the others.

“Obviously I’m happy I won,” Donghyuck finally smiles. “The competition was fierce even though there weren’t lots of participants this year. So I’m glad I made it somehow.”

"Lee Donghyuck I would eat every single carrot in this town if it meant you would be happy," Mark says loud enough for half the people gathered there to hear.

"You hate carrots," Donghyuck states, gaze not wavering away from his best friend.

"I hate carrots but I love you more," Mark says, voice now a lot quieter and Donghyuck instinctively leans in to make sure he hears him right.

"That makes no sense Markie," he says and his expression softens.

Jeno feels like throwing up.

"That's a little bit too much don't you think?" Yangyang laughs next to him. Jeno doesn't really mind, he just looks at the younger with a smile.

"I think so too," he says but he knows all too well that this is the kind of confession Donghyuck is likely to say yes to. Although this _is_ Mark so maybe it doesn't really matter.

"I would have done it completely different," Yangyang continues and now he has Jeno's full attention.

The older forgets about two of his best friends making a fool of themselves and turns to his ex-enemy.

What are they now? What does what Yangyang has done make them? Friends? He has thought that for the past few days but now, all of a sudden that doesn't sound right in Jeno's head either so he just shakes it off.

"Yeah? So how would you do it?" he asks, deciding to play whatever game the younger wants to play.

It works and there's a smile slowly blossoming on Yangyang's face but there's also a trace of another emotion that Jeno has never seen there before.

"Instead of eating every single carrot in town I would offer my own," he says and the end of the sentence sounds almost like a question.

Jeno doesn't say anything, unsure of the true meaning behind Yangyang's words just yet.

"I would do that and then ask them to something much more exciting than the cinema or a coffee date," he continues with a stronger voice now and looks Jeno in the eyes.

Honestly, Jeno probably has no other choice but to play along.

"What could possibly be more exciting than that?"

Yangyang laughs and Jeno smiles too.

"Sitting in the rain on some slippery rocks. Bonus points if it’s too dark to see anything.”

Jeno stares at Yangyang’s serious face for a moment before bursting into laughter.  
A few people turn to see what’s going on but they lose interest pretty fast, too intrigued by the competition and the scene Mark and Donghyuck are still making.

“And then you would confess?” he asks cautiously. Jeno still isn’t entirely sure of Yangyang's intentions.

“And then I would confess,” the younger says and for a moment they just look at each other.  
Yangyang’s eyes are shining but not with the usual spark of mischief, it’s something different.

“We already did the first two although in a different order,” Jeno laughs lightly but it feels out of place.

“I’m not sure about the last one,” he adds calmly after a second.

"Is it a confession? Or just an 'I want to know you better'?" Yangyang wonders and his eyes wander off to look at all of the fruits and vegetables on stage. "Honestly? I don't know. Not long ago I thought you hated me."

Jeno feels a blush coloring his neck. That's how he had thought about Yangyang until recently. He hadn't put much effort into even knowing enough about the younger to truly hate him. Maybe it was because he wasn't someone Jeno got along right away and that made things complicated.

But he doesn't think that anymore. Because while their personalities clash, there's something interesting about it.

He wants to try it. Whatever Yangyang is offering.

"I never hated you, I just wasn't—"

"My friend. I know, I know," Yangyang smiles at him and Jeno smiles back. "So are you accepting my offer Jeno? The first date is on me."

The older raises his eyebrows.

"That's bold."

Yangyang shrugs and places his hands in his back pockets.

"I'm always bold," the younger says and Jeno can't really argue with that. Whether it be the shop accident or the late night talking or even this morning when Yangyang ran to his house, the younger was always unapologetically himself. "I just gave you that sentimental speech. Weren't my intentions clean already?"

"No, I think I understood you," Jeno laughs and scrapes at the back of his neck. "But honestly, I should be the one paying for that date. You helped me a lot today, you know."

Yangyang observes him with unreadable eyes. Jeno clears his throat. He searches for the right words.

"You were my rival for the past few weeks and yet you did it. I don't get it," he says carefully. Jeno isn't sure what response he expects but a short and bitter laughter isn't it.

"You needed that victory more than I did," Jeno frowns at him. No one joins competitions with an intention to lose. And Yangyang set himself up. "I was in it for my parents to finally stop looking at me as if I didn't want to do this."

The younger gestures to everything around them.

Jeno looks at him in a new light. It's almost the exact opposite of what he wanted but, in a way, it's connected.

The running theme being parents not listening to their children enough.

"Did it work?" he asks, genuinely curious. "What will they say about you losing?"

Yangyang smirks and shrugs again.

"It did. And maybe I don't care about their opinion anymore," he says and there is some commotion on stage again.

Jeno looks up and sees that it’s empty, Donghyuck and Mark now gone. He wonders if he even wants to know where they disappeared to. Probably not.

"That's—" _freeing isn't it_ he wants to ask but stops himself.

"That still doesn't answer my question," Yangyang cuts in, ignoring Jeno's sudden silence. "What about that date."

"I'll only agree if you let me pay," the older says and is met with an impressive eye roll. "I just gave you that sentimental speech and now you won't even let me express my gratitude?"

That makes Yangyang stare at him. Jeno can't help but smirk because he knows he won this one.

" _Fine_ but the next one is on me. And that's not up for discussion."

Jeno laughs at how Yangyang already assumed there will be a second one. He guesses he isn't wrong.

"How about we just go for a picnic then?" he asks and thinks back to the spot where they have been stuck together before. It's a good idea and judging from Yangyang's expression he is thinking about it too.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Yangyang's eyes catch something in the mass of people behind Jeno and the younger frowns. "Text me the details. I have to get going."

Jeno turns his head but there's not a single familiar face in the chaos.

"You are leaving before the great ending with all the fireworks?" he asks but Yangyang isn't focused on him anymore.

"I have to," Yangyang's voice is distant and there is tension it in. "My parents are waiting for me."

Jeno lets out a sigh and gives the younger a reassuring smile even if Yangyang isn't looking in his direction.

"Go then," he says and Yangyang throws him one last look before turning on his heels and starting on his way to get to his parents.

As his familiar figure disappears from view, swallowed by the masses of people, both tourists, and locals, there is one thought that keeps popping up in Jeno's mind.

Did Yangyang's parents recognize the watermelon that won the award? If so, how did it make them feel?

Jeno guesses it's not really any of his business and as he thinks back to Yangyang's face when the younger told him about why he even participated in the competition he feels like he probably will never find out.

Jeno knows he should try to find the rest of his friends before the fireworks start but just thinking about finding Mark and Donghyuck most likely making out somewhere or disturbing Renjun and Jaemin's date makes him roll his eyes.

It's probably better to leave the couples alone for tonight.

And so Jeno settles down where he knows the view will be good and waits for the show to start.

The fireworks start slowly but as the night sky bursts into colors and there are loud gasps all around him, Jeno finds himself smiling into the cold air. Despite so many things going wrong today, he is happy.

And when the show ends and people start leaving to get back to their everyday lives, Jeno wonders if maybe next year he will celebrate with Yangyang.

That wouldn't be so bad, he decides.

🌱🌱🌱

Two weeks is a long time to plan your first date but between the dance practices and taking care of plants, Jeno finds himself too busy to do anything.

There's also Donghyuck who insists on at least three sleepovers to make up for the lost time and Jeno sits through him long monologues about Mark with a smile on his face.

To his surprise, his best friend doesn't tease him over his date with Yangyang. To be honest the only reaction he gets is a small smile, not even a smirk and a nod.

"At least it worked," Donghyuck mumbles under his breath and Jeno pretends he doesn't hear it. There is a small part of him that already suspected that Donghyuck knew more than he showed.

Maybe it's better if he doesn't know the whole truth.

Besides Donghyuck and his constant presence in Jeno's house, there's also Renjun who comes over to ask for advice on what to get Jaemin for his birthday.

"How are _we_ supposed to know Renjun, isn't he _your_ boyfriend?" Donghyuck asks from the sofa and Renjun turns around to give him a pointed stare.

"What are you even doing here? Don't you have your own _boyfriend_ too?" he asks but his tone lacks venom and so Donghyuck only laughs at him. "And besides you fuckers are his best friends too, you should know what he wants too."

"Excuse me," Donghyuck says, faking being offended. "But since you asked so nicely, we might as well help you, right Jeno?"

Jeno laughs from his spot behind the kitchen counter.

Needless to say, planning a surprise party takes a long time too.

But after those two weeks pass, the day for the date finally comes.

Jeno and Yangyang agreed on the same spot near the bus stop where they spent those few hours soaking wet and talking and as they discuss the spot in passing, Yangyang laughs.

"That's hella romantic, you know," is the way the younger describes it and Jeno snorts at how serious Yangyang's voice sounds. "It may sound wild to others because that's just goddamn rocks but I like it."

Jeno laughs again because he could have not described it better.

And on the date that is carefully marked in Jeno's calendar, he packs some food and heads out with an 'I'm going to the fields'. His parents look after him with surprise on their faces but he doesn't bother explaining for now.

Yangyang is already there when he arrives and Jeno frowns at the younger who has laid out a blanket on the grass just beside the rocks and is currently getting food out of his backpack.

"You are early," he comments as he comes over and kicks his shoes off.

"And so are you," Yangyang fires back without looking up and Jeno doesn't have to look at his phone to know that the younger is right. He guesses they both were equally as eager to get to this date.

Which makes him wonder what exactly does this make them.

When Yangyang had asked him out he said he wasn't sure if it was the right time to talk about liking yet and it was more about getting to know each other, but now that Jeno looks at it, things might have already changed.

He wasn't too sure about it before but ever since then something has clicked between them. There is no awkward silence whenever they accidentally meet on the streets or in the supermarket. It almost feels like they have always been friends and only now Jeno was starting to realize some small things about the other.

The way wind lwass to play with his hair or the way the younger's eyes light up with that mischievous spark of his not only when he is planning on something terrible but also when he is just genuinely excited. It's a lot of small things but Jeno notices them all.

The part about being friends for a long time is bullshit but the other one is not.

Jeno already likes Yangyang.

He hopes they are on the same page with this.

"Pass me some watermelon," Yangyang says and gestures to Jeno's left. The older follows his hand and his eyes open wider when he notices fresh slices of watermelon in a big yellow bowl.

"What?" Yangyang asks with a laugh. "Is this giving you war flashbacks?"

Jeno ignores the question completely and instead picks up the bowl and offers it to the younger.

"Is it," he eyes the fruit with both admiration and hatred. "Is it that fucking watermelon?"

Yangyang looks at him for a second before he bursts into laughter, one of the pieces still in hand and for a moment Jeno worries that he will throw it at one of the passing cars or something equally ridiculous.

But thanks God he doesn't and the watermelon ends up in his mouth in the end.

"The one and only," Yangyang confirms with a wild smile that looks only mildly concerning. "Honestly, I had nothing to do with it after Mark returned it to me. Which, by the way, is ridiculous. Why would he do that, why did he even know? And isn't that cheating? Anyway, I thought it was fitting to bring it with me."

Jeno feels a sudden urge to pull his phone out and call Donghyuck but he resists it. He doesn't wanna know.

"It's not cheating if Mark says so," he says and picks up one of the pieces himself. "Besides, yours was the biggest so it did win fair and square."

Yangyang snorts.

"I suppose so," he says and turns his attention to the sandwiches Jeno made. "Donghyuck really is a demon, isn't he?"

Jeno laughs at the younger's expression and then rolls his eyes when an image of his best friend flashes before his eyes.

"He is."

🌱🌱🌱

Somehow the picnic drags out for way longer than Jeno has anticipated and before he realizes, the sky turns from bright blue of a summer day to a darker shade of a night sky in the countryside.

The stars are clearly visible as days of the constant storms and rains stopped almost instantly after the grand finale of the competition and Jeno wonders if nature just wanted to fuck him over by sending those satanic winds that ended up almost costing him the victory.

Almost.

Jeno turns his head to look at his companion who is already staring at him with unreadable eyes.

"Wanna go on a walk?" the younger asks casually and Jeno nods lightly and so they get up and pack their things.

There aren't a lot of people here at this hour. Most of the fields in this area belong to Jeno's and Yangyang's families anyway but sometimes you could meet a person or two while wandering around.

Today it's completely empty save for them.

“So how are the preparations for the dance competition going?” Yangyang asks and Jeno feels a small spark of happiness because he can hear the genuine curiosity in his voice.

“Great, honestly. Donghyuck might be a jokester but when it comes to dancing he is so focused it’s almost scary,” Yangyang raises his eyebrows at him and Jeno shrugs. “Jaemin is so determined too. Sometimes I feel like my legs are going to fall off.”

This makes the younger laugh.

“It’s great to see how happy all three of you are,” he says and kicks a stray rock. “I know I probably said this before but I don’t regret giving you the victory. And I know you are curious about how it all turned out for me and let me just tell you that it’s more than fine now.”

Jeno doesn’t want to pray, he isn’t that kind of a person but he may care about Yangyang a little too much now for being just friends.

“Did your parents appreciate your work?”

The silence is overwhelming but despite that, it doesn’t tell Jeno much. Because there _is_ a smile on Yangyang’s face.

“I guess you could say that,” he answers with a laugh.

For Jeno, it’s enough.

“Also,” Yangyang starts again and Jeno looks over at him with questioning eyes. “I feel like you know this already but—”

Jeno nods at him to continue.

“—I’m friends with Donghyuck. But I swear he didn’t do much when it comes to us.”

Jeno laughs shortly because, _yes_ , he figured out that much. Not only from the insane coincidences but more from the way the two of them talked to each other.

Jeno might not look like it but he is good with people.

Yangyang looks relieved when Jeno doesn’t jump his throat or whatever ridiculous reaction the younger expected. Jeno wonders if it’s the right time to bring up the topic that has been hanging in the air the whole night.

“I feel like you might already know this,” he starts and this time it's Yangyang who looks surprised, eyes full of curiosity and that mischievous spark that has so many meanings. “But I like you. Back at the competition, I wasn’t sure what was happening and judging from your words neither were you, but I realized it over that last two weeks. I guess I just skipped that ‘getting to know you’ part you talked about.”

Yangyang laughs and it sounds happy. Which is a good omen. Maybe they are on the same page with this.

“Would it be weird if I told you I skipped that part too?” he asks and Jeno smacks him lightly on the shoulder.

“No, just skip over to the part when you say you like me too,” he answers and this time it's Yangyang who tries to hit him but Jeno dodges, expecting the attack.

“I like you too,” Yangyang agrees.

“So I guess we will be going on that next date and if I remember correctly it’s on me,” the younger says smoothly. That’s what have agreed on and he sighs, resigned.

“I hoped you wouldn’t remember that.”

“No way,” Yangyang comments and Jeno laughs breathlessly.

“ _Clearly_.”

They look at each other for a minute, while the not-so-hot summer wind blows on the empty fields, before they both break into smiles.

Their walk from now on is rather peaceful and as they talk about anything and everything Jeno wonders yet again why exactly they never became friends while in high school.

Not that it matters now but it’s interesting to think about where they would have been now if both of them just tried doing what they are apparently so good at which is _talking_.

Would they have turned into one of those couples who are grossly domestic while still teasing each other every chance they get like Renjun and Jaemin?

Or maybe they would have turned into the best friends who are so obviously into each other but just too stupid or prideful to admit that like Mark and Donghyuck. Well, Jeno supposes he has no right to call the pair that anymore since they are now dating.

There is also a possibility that none of this would have happened and maybe at the end of the day, Jeno is glad that things turned out the way they did.

He is so lost in his thoughts that it’s only an exceptionally cold blow of the wind that sobers him a little and he frowns. It has gotten awfully cold. Even summers aren’t immune to freezing nights.

‘ _We should probably head back soon_ ,’ he thinks and takes out his phone to check the hour.

Jeno stares at the device in his hands for a whole minute before he reacts to what he is seeing.

" _Shit_ ," he curses loudly and his eyes snap to Yangyang who stares at him with clueless eyes. Jeno wants to laugh at the irony of the whole situation as he stares at the younger.

"What?" Yangyang asks cautiously. He has probably realized that something is wrong. Jeno wants to laugh even more.

"We have missed the last bus home," he says and there is laughter in his voice. It isn't that funny but as Yangyang expression shifts suddenly to one of pure terror Jeno finally lets out a giggle.

"What are you laughing at?" the younger cries out. "The next one will be here at five in the morning!"

Jeno smiles.

"Looks like we have a few more hours to spare then."

A few months ago this would have been his literal nightmare, but now it's almost the exact opposite.

He doesn't really mind.

**Author's Note:**

> So that's it from me today! i hope you enjoyed this not so little something and if so then please leave kudos and maybe even a comment hehe they always make my day! (maybe even try your luck at guessing? hmm?)
> 
> and make sure to check out other works from this fic fest! so many talented authors took part in it and they all worked so hard uwu!!
> 
> anyway have a good day and thank you for reading<3


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